Safety razor



I Feb. 7, i939,

. Filed May 1, 1935 Z-Sheets-Sheef 2 Win w (ILIIIIII/W/j' V76 67 U? as 66 7o 65 6a JQYPYbUZZU" v as ' Patented Feb. 7, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SAFETY RAZOR Axel S. Carlson, New York, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, of one-half to J. Curtis Blue, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application"May 1, 1935, Serial No. 19,256

17 Claims.

My present invention relates to a type of safety,

razor in which a double edged razor blade is mounted on a supporting plate and is held in tight clamped relation to the supporting plate by 5 a clamping plate, this clamping plate being hinged to one end of the supporting plate and moving in an arcuate path from an open positionv to a closed position,

' My invention may be considered as an improvement or further development of my Safety razor holder, Serial No. 743,371 filed October 15, 1934, matured toPatent No. 2,024,626 issued December 17, 1935 and also of my application for Safety razor, Serial No.75 4,969, filed November 27, 1934, matured to Patent No. 2,064,884, issued December 22, 1936. n I

I One of the main objects and features of my present invention is in the razor blade itself, this being a double edged blade with the edges parallel, but having the central section of the blade rather thin so that the blade may be bent into I an are considered transversely of the blade. Therefore by my construction of the flexible razor blade, the opposite edge portions of the blade adjacent the cutting edges are formed of a relaftively thick section of metal, thus giving'sufllcient {rigidity to the cutting edges and providing ma- I terial 'which maybe ground down and resharpen'ed to give renewed cutting edges. The thin central section of the blade facilitates the ready' bending or flexing of the blade into an arc.

Another object and feature of my invention is constructing the supporting plate and the clamping plate of a desired shape and cross section so that the'blade may be bent in the desired arc and 7 held clamped for shaving. In generaliconfiguration the upper surface of the clamping plate is convex in transverse curvature. However, by my construction the edge portions of the clamping plate are at a tangent to the convex portion of the curve where the flexible part of the blade is bent. Therefore the stiffened thick edges 'of the blade rest on flat surfaces of the clamping. plate and not on a curve, and the thick portions adjacent the edges of the blade do not need to flex.

The clamping plate is constructed somewhat V-shaped in transverse cross section, the Vangle however, being a broad obtuse angle. This may be'curved at the point of the V with a concave curvature to conform withthe convex curvature of the supporting plate where the flexible section of the blade is clamped between the supporting andclamping plate. This convex curved section I also gives a clearance above'the blade. The marginal edge portionspf the clamping'plate are plane and parallel to the tangential sections of the supporting plate, so that the thickened edges of the blade are effectively clamped between two plane surfaces. This construction presents the two edges of the blade in a better position for shaving than in safety razors in which a flat double edge blade is used or in which a thin double edged blade is bent in an arc of a circle.

Another object and feature of my present invention is forming a hinged mounting and sup- 10 port for the clamping plate so that when such plate is parallel to the supporting plate,-it may be moved in a longitudinal direction, this being for the purpose of allowing insertion of the blade on the clamping plate with the blade in a flattened position, such blade normally being fiat unless bent by the holding parts of the safety razor. Thus when the clamping plate is moved axially parallel to the supporting plate, the outside edges of the clamping plate engage the thickened portions of the razor blade, bend the blade into an arc and hold the bladesecurely to the supporting plate. This arrangement uses a spring to permit the parallel movement of the clamping plate relative to the supporting plate.

Another object andfeature of my present invention is in the construction and manner of manipulating a stem operating in a handle and having a head to engage the clamping plate, such stem being rotatable on its axis and also movable 3O longitudinally. In. the present arrangement I form a guide sleeve with a Z-shaped slot. This slotptherefore has a central portion transverse to the sleeve and two end arms extending longitudinally of the sleeve so that the pin which is rigidly connected to the stem may operate in two longitudinal portions and also in the cross portion of the slot and thus better accommodate the parallel movement of the clamping plate in reference to the supporting plate.

Another feature of my invention consists in the employment of a pilot pin resiliently supported by a spring in the supporting plate and having a head extending through a slot in the blade, which head engages in a centering recess 5 in the clamping plate and thus counteracts or equalizes the action of the spring in the hinged arms of the clamping plate during the parallel motion of the clamping plate towards and from the supporting plate, which motion is caused by the head on the stem. My invention may also be considered as a further development of that of my application Serial No. 705,081, filed January 3, 1934, for Hinged clamp safety razor holder, matured into patent dated July 23, 1935, Patent No. 2,008,681, as it relates to the rotation of the stem and the pivoting of the clamping plate.

My invention is illustrated. in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l is an elevation taken in the direction of the arrow l of Fig. 3, the handle being illustrated in section and the blade gripped between the supporting and clamping plates. v

Fig. 2 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1 with the clamping plate in its open position and the blade flattened.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the handle and the operating mechanism for the stem being shown in section, with the clamping plate in open position.

Fig. 5 may be considered as a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, prior to lowering the clamping plate to flex the blade and with the razor blade shown flat.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the blade.

My invention as it relates to the blade is as follows: Having reference particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the blade as a whole is indicated by the numeral II. This has a thin central plate or web section I2 with an elongated slot I3 therein and two marginal centering slots I4. At each end there are guide tabs I5 which may be used for finger grip ends to place the blade on the supporting plate properly centered and to remove it therefrom. The termination of the blade proper is at the ends I6 and the tabs form shoulders I1 therewith.

The blade has two thickened marginal portions I8 sharpened on opposite edges I9. These thickened sections are sufiiciently stiff so that they do not bend or flex when the blade is bent transversely. They also have sufficient rigidity to resist longitudinal flexing of the edge of the blade. Therefore under all conditions of gripping and clamping the blade between the supporting and clamping plates, each cutting edge forms a straight line; the cutting edges being parallel provided the blade is correctly ground. The center or web portion is of sumcient thinness so that the blade may readily be bent transversely. The thickened portion I8 of the blades also provides a considerable body of metal to allow regrinding and resharpening of the blades 2. number of times. 1

In my invention the blade holder designated by the assembly numeral 25, employs a supporting plate 26. This as illustrated in Fig. 5, preferably has a flat undersurface 21, but if desired this may be made thinner at the center for sake of lightness. The central portion considered transversely has a convex curvature 28 adjacent the marginal edges. The surface 29 is tangential to the convex curve 28. These opposite surfaces on the top adjacent the marginal edges thus form plane surfaces. A series of transverse ribs 30 project slightly above the main surface of the clamping plate and at each end there are shoulders 3| of the same height as the ribs and fingers 32 extend upwardly at each side of the shoulders 3|, these having a space to accommodate the tabs I5 so that the upper ends of the fingers 32 fit between the ends I6 of the blades and the side shoulders I! of the tabs [5 on the blade. The clamping plate at its mid position has a pair of slight bosses '33 which are slightly higher than the ribs to engage in the guide slots I4 of the blade when the blade is flexed.

The supporting plate at its marginal edges has guard teeth 34, thus forming a comb like structure of the usual character to extend beyond the cutting edge of the blade when the blade is flexed. At the central portion of the supporting plate adjacent one end, there is a perforation 35 with a socket 36 below the perforation and a socket 31 above the perforation leading to the top surface of the blade. Slidably mounted in this perforation there is a pilot pin 38, such pin having a head 39 at the top and being upwardly pressed by a spring 40. This spring seats in the bottom of the upper socket 31 and the underside of the head 39, tending to thrust the pilot pin upwardly. The upward displacement is limited by the button 4I secured to the lower end of the pilot pin and operating in the lower socket 36. The head 39 is less in diameter than the slot I3 of the plate so that it may extend through this slot. A tubular handle 45 is secured to the underside of the supporting plate and if desired may be made integral with such plate. This handle has internal screw threads 45 at its lower end, of a fine pitch, to which is threaded an end plug 41 this having a knurled end 48 to provide a finger grip. A guide sleeve 49 is secured adjacent the upper portion of the tubular handle, this sleeve having a guide slot 58 therein, formed Z-shape. This slot thus has a transverse section 5I transverse to the axis of the sleeve, a lower and an upper longitudinal slot section 52 and 53, these being parallel to the axis of the sleeve.

At the upper end of the handle there is a guide slot 54 and opposite thereto a second slot 55 extending to a slightly greater extent longitudinally of the handle from the underside of the clamping plate. Both of these slots preferably have parallel edges 56 parallel to the axis of the handle and. a transverse flat bottom edge 51 (note Fig. 5).

The hinge or pivot connection of the clamping plate to the supporting plate designated by the assembly numeral 60, is as follows: A pair of ears BI depend from one end of the supporting plate and in these ears there is mounted a rotatable pintle shaft 62 which shaft carries a pinion gear 63. This shaft is squared at its ends and each end carries a short arm 64 and each arm has mounted on its end a tubular housing 65. This housing has an enlarged lower end 66 (note Fig. 4) with a base 61 and reduced upper end 68. Rods 59 are slidably mounted in the upper end of the tubes and each rod has a head ID at the bottom against which operates a compression spring II, this spring bearing on the bottom 5?. This gives a resilient mounting for the rods 69 which rods are connected at their outer ends to the clamping plate I5. This plate has a thin central section I5 convex on its upper surface and concave on its lower surface with thickened side portions 'Il. Each of these side portions has its undersurface forming a fiat plane so that when the clamping plate is turned over the supporting plate in the position of Fig. 5, the underside of the ends TI will be parallel to the upper surface of the ribs on the supporting plate. In other words, the surface 29 of the supporting plate and the undersurfaces of the side parts I! are in parallel planes when the device is in the position of Fig. 5 and when they are clamped in the position of Fig. 3. The clamping plate has an extension 78 at one end to which the rods 69 are connected, this extension fitting between the fingers 32. The

end, fitting between the fingers at the remote end Y of the supporting plate.

projecting teeth89 on the marginal edge of the There are a series of clamping plate bearing on the thickened portions I8 of therazor blade.

The clamping plate is rotated on its hinge pintle by means of a rack bar 85. This may operate in guides on the underside of the supporting plate if desired, as shown in certain of my former patents, or it maybe guided by having the enlarged end 86 operating in the slot 55 on one side fofthehandle and the main portion of the rack bar 81 operating in the slot 54. rack teeth 88 engaging the pinion holds the rack I barinproper operative position.

Moreover, the

The rack bar has a hollow space 89 in which operates a plunger 90 having a stem 9|, the stem being guided in the socket 92 in the rack bar and the plunger pressed inwardly towards the handle by a compression spring 93, this construction being similar to that of my patent application Serial tatable stem 96.

No. 754,969 above mentioned. In this case I use a wedge block 95 of a type similar to that of this patent application, mounted and operating in the same manner on a longitudinally movable and ro- The head 91 of the stem operates through a slot 98 in the clamping plate.

The clamping plate also has a slight recess 99 to engage the head 39 of the pilot pin 38. In this case however, the pin I secured to the stem operates in a Z'-shapedslot 50 and thus this pin may move in the transverse portion of the slot or the parallel opposite end portions 52 and 53. ,The end of the stem is threaded into the plug 41 in the same manner as in my patent application No. 754,969 just mentioned.

The manner of operation and function of my invention is substantially as follows: The clampingplate may be turned on its hinge by manipulation of the .end plug 41 which has a fine threaded connection with the tubular handle threaded connection with the stem. This adand a coarse justment is in a manner similar to that of my patent application Serial No. 754,969, for Safety razor, filed November 27, 1934, matured to Patent No. 2,064,884 issued December 22, 1936. action may be used to both open or close the This clamping plate relative to the supporting plate.

The action also gives a longitudinal movement to the stem and the head of the'stem when the pin I00 operates in the longitudinally extend- I ing'portions 52 and 53 of the slot 50 in the fixed guide sleeve 49. 7 When the pin moves in the horizontal part 5| of the slot 50, the stem is rotated one-quarter of a turn to rotate the head so I that it may pass throughthe slot 98 in the clamping plate and also so that such head may give a i downward pull on the clamping plate when it is parallelto the supporting plate.

= The razor blade when inserted on the clamping plate with the supporting plate in its open position is fiat as shown in Fig. 5. The tabs l5 of this 65 l j The stem also extends through the central slot blade fit between the fingers 32 on the supportinyg plate and thus properly center the blade.

. l3 of the blade. After the clamping plate has I been turned on its hinge into a position parallel to the supporting plate, the two edges of the clamping plate engage the thickened section of the marginal portions of the blade as shown in 'Fig. 5. During this action of hinging or turning, ,theclamping plate from itsopen to its closed position, the stem is drawn downwardly with the measurement of the head extending lengthwise stem and the head of the stem one-quarter of a turn, bringing the long measurement of the head transverse to the slot 98.

When the clamping plate is rotated on its hinge, the rods 69 are thrust outwardly by the spring H. This holds the clamping plate elevated above the supporting plate. The pilot pin 38 has been thrust upwardly by the spring 4950 that its head 39 extends through the slot l3 of the blade and engages in the recess 99 on the underside of the clamping plate. The further downward movement and pull exerted on the stem When the pin I09 operates in the longitudinal portion 52 of the slot 50, draws the clamping plate downwardly towards the supporting plate with a parallel motion, the rods 69 cause a compression of the springs H and at the same time the spring 40 which gives a resilient pressure to the pilot pin is also compressed. These two sets of springs, one at the hinge and the other towards the opposite end of the supporting plate, give a substantially even resistance to the approach of the clamping plate towards the supporting plate. This approach movement causes a flexing of the thin or web section I2 of. the blade and causes the slight bosses 33 on the supporting plate toextend through the slots M in the web portion of the blade. This prevents the blade from having any slight twist. The clamping plate is pulled down tightly on the blade, causing a firm gripping of the thickened edge portions I8 of the blade between the supporting plate at the bottom and the clamping plate at the top. This gripping action is shown in Fig. 3, the marginal portions of the blade being shown dotted.

As above mentioned, the portions of the supporting plate and clamping plate which engage the thickened sections of the blade are in effect plane surfaces, or edges and thus there is no tend- I thereof, have their upper surface not only spaced above the upper surface of the supporting plate 25, but above the upper surface of the marginal guard teeth 34. This therefore supports the cutting edge of the blades and thickened portion l8 well above the guard teeth, which construction facilitates the cleansing of the assembled razor with the blade by forcibly pouring water over the assembled structure with the clamping plate holding the blade in tight clamped relation to the supporting plate.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety razor, the combination of a supporting plate, a clamping plate hinged thereto, the supporting plate having means for mounting and centering a razor blade, means to move the clamping plate when in a position parallel to the supporting plate in a clamping relation towards .the supporting plate, the hinge connection between the clamping and the supporting plates having means to permit such parallel motion, a resiliently mounted pilot pin interengaging between the supporting and clamping plates when in parallel relation, the said pilot pin being movable when the clamping plate is brought into clamping relation with the supporting plate.

2. In a safety razor, the combination of a tubular handle having a supporting plate at one end, a longitudinally movable and rotatable stem mounted in the handle and extending through the supporting plate, the stem having an elongated head, the supporting plate having means to engage'and center a razor blade, a clamping plate hinged to the supporting plate at one end thereof and adapted to swing in an arc and to first occupy a position parallel to the supporting plate but spaced therefrom, the stem having a pin, a structure having a slot with the pin engaging therein, said slot having a transverse portion normal to the stem and two marginal end portions parallel to the stem extending in opposite directions from the central portion of the slot said clamping plate having a perforation for passage of the head of the stem whereby a movement of said pin in said slot rotates the head and moves it axially of the handle to engage and move the clamping plate.

3. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 2, the hinged connection of the clamping plate to the supporting plate having a resilient mounting at the hinge, said mounting normally holding the clamping plate spaced from the supporting plate when they are in parallel position, the said resilient mounting being adapted to permit movement of the clamping plate from a spaced to a clamping relation with the supporting plate.

4. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 2, the hinged connection of the clamping plate to the supporting plate including rods connected to the clamping plate and connected to the hinge by a spring mounting, the said spring mounting being adapted to support the clamping plate parallel to and in spaced relation from the supporting plate, a pilot pin having a contact end, a spring to normally elevate the contact end of the pilot pin, said contact end being adapted to engage the clamping plate remote from the hinge and to hold the remote end of the clamping plate spaced from the supporting plate, the clamping plate having a perforation, the stem being adapted to extend through said perforation when the clamping and supporting plates are in parallel position, the inter-engaging means between the hinge and the stern operating the stem to first develop a longitudinal movement of the stem, means actuated by the first longitudinal movement of the stem to rotate the clamping plate on its hinge from its open to its parallel spaced position relative to the supporting plate, means operative in the further actuation of the stem to rotate the stem and to then move the head of the stem towards the supporting plate to shift the clamping plate from its spaced to its clamping relation to the supporting plate.

5. In a safety razor, the combination of a supporting plate having ribs transverse thereto, the said ribs at the central portion being curved in an arc and at their marginal edges being tangential to the are, a clamping plate, means to support said plate in spaced and parallel relation to the supporting plate, the marginal undersurfaces of the clamping plate being parallel to the tangential portions of the ribs, means to support and center a fiat razor blade on the ribs'of the supporting plate, means to move the clamping plate from a spaced to a clamping relation with the supporting plate, whereby the clamping plate bends the blade with the center portion arched in a curve and its marginal portions heldagainst the tangential portions of the ribs, the blade having a thin central web section of constant thickness and marginal thickened sections, the thickened sections having parallel cutting edges, the central section being provided with a portion of the means for centering the blade on the supporting plate, the said blade being normally fiat, the marginal edges of the clamping plate engaging the thickened sections of the blade in both the spaced and the clamping relation to the sup porting plate.

6. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 5, two resiliently mounted structures interconnecting the supporting and clamping plates, to hold the clamping plate initially in spaced relation to the supporting plate, said mounting being compressible to permita parallel movement of the clamping plate from its spaced to its clamping relation to the supporting plate, one of said resilient structures engaging the plates between their ends.

7. In a safety razor, the combination of a tubular handle having a structure with a guide slot, a portion of said slot being transverse to the axis of the handle and two end portions of the slot being parallel to said axis andextending in opposite directions to the transverse portion, a stem having a pin thereon and a head slidably movable and rotatable in the handle, a supporting plate connected to the handle, a clamping plate to be engaged by the head, and means operatively connected to the handle to manipulate the stem to cause the pin to travel first in one of the end portions of the slot, then the transverse portion and then the other end portion.

8, In a safety razor, the combination of a supporting plate, a clamping plate hinged thereto at one end, the hinge including a hollow housing with a rod slidable therein, the rod being attached to the hinged end of the clamping plate, a spring in the housing engaging the rod and tensioned to normally press the rod outwardly, whereby when the clamping plate is swung to a position parallel to the supporting plate, the said spring and arm retain the clamping plate in spaced relation to the supporting plate.

9. In a safety razor' as claimed in claim 8, a pilot pin resiliently mounted in the supporting plate at a portion remote from the hinge and having a contact and to engage the end of the clamping plate remote from the hinge and to hold such remote end of the clamping plate in spaced relation to the supporting plate, combined with means interconnecting the clamping and supporting plates to move the clamping plate from a spaced to clamping relation to the supporting plate.

10. In a safety razor, the combination at a supporting plate and a clamping plate both having marginal portions forming an obtuse angle to the median line of said plates, means to resiliently position the clamping plate in spaced and parallel relation to the supporting plate, one of said means interengaging the two plates intermediate their ends, means to center a blade between the two plates, and means to move the clamping plate into clamping relation with the supporting plate and thereby flex the blade, said resilient means yielding on'such move-ment of the clamping plate.

11. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 10,

e the clamping plate being hinged to one end of the supporting plate, the hinge having a pintle and one of the resilient means being adjacent the plntle and having a spring engaging a rod on the clamping plate.

12. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 10, a blade having'a central resilient web of constant thickness and two marginal-thickened portions each with a cutting edge; the blade having cen- 1 tering slots on-opposite sides of thelongitudinal center of the blade, the supporting plate having projecting bosses to engage said slots whereby the clamping plate in being moved toward the supporting plate flexes the web portion of the blade and engages the bosses and the slots.

13. In a safety razor, the combination of a handle having a supporting plate centered on the handle, said plate having flat marginal portions forming an obtuse angle with the axis of the bosses, and means to move the clamping plate V from spaced relation to the supporting plate to flex theweb in a curved arc and position the thickened marginal portions of the blade between the flat surfaces of the clamping and supporting plates.

' 14. In a safety razor as claimed in claim 13, the clamping plate being hinged to one end of the supporting plate, such hinge having a pintle,

a spring adjacent the pintle, means between the pin and the clamping plate to position the clamping plate spaced from and in parallel relation to a the supporting plate, a resiliently mounted pilot j pin in the supporting plate engaging the clampmg plate remote from the hinge, said spring and pilot pin being displaceable on movement of the clamping plate from its spaced to its clamping relation with the clamping plate.

15. In a safety razor, the combination of a supporting plate having means for mounting and centering a razor blade, a clamping plate hinged to the supporting plate and adapted to permit movement of the clamping plate from a position 7 parallel and spaced from the supporting plate to a position substantially at right angles thereto and for movement of the clamping plate from its spaced parallel relation to the supporting plate v in a parallel movement to a clamping position, a

pilot pin slidably mounted in the supporting plate, a spring normally elevating one end of the pin above the blade mounted on the supporting plate, the upper end of the pin having means to engage the clamping plate when in its spaced parallel position in regard to the supporting plate, the said pin being depressible when the clamping plate is moved from its spaced position to its clamping position in regard to the supporting plate.

16. In a safety razor, the combination of a supporting plate having means for mounting and centering a razor blade, a clamping plate hinged to the supporting plate and adapted to permit movement of the clamping plate from a position parallel and spaced from the supporting plate to a position substantially at right angles thereto and for movement of the clamping plate from its spaced parallel relation to the supporting plate in a parallel movement to a clamping position, a blade mounted between the supporting and clamping plates, said blade having a resilient thin central web of constant thickness and marginal non-resilient thickened portions, each having a cutting edge, the supporting plate having two flat marginal portions at an angle one to the other, the clamping plate having complementary flat marginal portions having a central angle one to the other, the clamping plate being adapted when in spaced relation to the supporting plate, to engage the blade and to flex the web portion of the blade in a transverse curved are when the clamping plate is moved to its clamping relation with the supporting plate and hold the thickened marginal portions of the blade tangential to the curved arc.

17. In a safety razor, the combination of a supporting plate having a transverse curve on its supporting surface terminating in tangential surfaces adjacent each edge thereof, a clamping plate having an undersurface parallel to the tangential surfaces of the supporting plate adjacent its outer edges, a flat razor blade having a relatively thin flexible Web and two non-flexible marginal portions, each of substantially constant thickness with parallel upper and lower surfaces, each thickened portion having a cutting edge, the thickened portions being of substantial width compared with the width of the blade between the cutting edges whereby when the web engages the transverse curve of the supporting surface and the outer portions of the clamping plate engage the thickened portions, a movement of the clamping plate towards the supporting plate flexes the web into an arc and clamps the marginal portions between the tangential surfaces of the supporting and the clamping plate.

AXEL S. CARLSON. 

